a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a gripping device for an endoscope, to an assembly comprising an endoscope and a gripping device, and to a method of aiding grip of an endoscope shaft.
b. Related Art
Endoscopes comprise an elongate shaft or insertion tube and a control head containing angulation controls and valves. During an endoscopic procedure the shaft, which is coated in a suitable lubricant, is inserted slowly into a patient in order to visualise the internal cavity being examined. In preferred methods of use, endoscopists grip the shaft in one hand while operating the controls of the control head with the other hand. The endoscopist must be able to grip the shaft firmly enough to manipulate the shaft, while also being able to slide their hand along the shaft as the shaft is inserted further into the patient.
The shaft is preferably held between the thumb and fingers as this finger grip allows more feel and control over the movements of the shaft. Additionally, it is recommended that a piece of gauze is placed between the shaft and the user's thumb and fingers to provide greater friction and avoid slippage due to the lubricant.
However, the piece of gauze quickly becomes saturated with lubricant, substantially decreasing its benefits to the user. Furthermore, if it is necessary for the user to remove their hand from the endoscope shaft, there is a high likelihood that the gauze will slip from around the shaft and possibly fall to the floor.
In colonoscopies, as the endoscope or colonoscope is progressed around bends or loops in the patient's colon there may come a point where the pushing force of the operator is not being transmitted along the longitudinal axis of the colonoscope and the colonoscope itself can form a loop. This can cause discomfort to the patient and can prevent progress of the scope through the colon, as any force applied to the colonoscope will only tend to increase the loop effect.
Looping is remedied by twisting or applying a torque force (torquing) to the shaft of the colonoscope whilst pulling back on the colonoscope shaft. This undoes the loop and allows subsequent progression through the colon.
Due to the amount of force required to torque the shaft, its lubricious nature and the way it is generally held, however, the endoscopist can experience significant pain and discomfort in their hands and wrist.
It is known that endoscopists can suffer from a number of musculoskeltal injuries caused by the prolonged gripping or pinching forces that are exerted by the user's hand on the endoscope during use. These injuries include wrist tendinopathy, epicondylitis and carpal tunnel syndrome, and can cause numbness of the hands, as well as pain in the hands, wrists and forearms of the user.
It is, therefore, an aim of the present invention to provide a gripping device for an endoscope shaft that overcomes the above mentioned problems.